Swansea man 'owes life to sister' after serious crash

A Swansea man owes his life to his sister who happened to be driving past after his car plunged down an embankment, medics have said.

Luke James, 25, almost severed his right leg completely and could have bled to death if Sammy-Jo James had not applied a tourniquet before emergency services arrived.

At the time, they both worked for a private ambulance company.

Trauma consultant Ian Pallister said: "She saved his life."

Mr James, the father of an 18-month-old daughter, had lost control of his van a few hundred yards from his home in Caerbont, Swansea Valley, in December.

He has no memory of the crash but his sister, a trained first responder, said: "My training kicked in and I kept a calm head."

'Absolutely incredible'

The fire service, ambulance and Wales' flying doctors all attended the scene.

Mr James underwent hours of specialist trauma surgery at Swansea's Morriston Hospital and faces another operation and months of physiotherapy.

Mr Pallister, from the hospital, said: "He lost a very serious amount of blood and if it hadn't been for his sister's intervention, I doubt he would have made it to hospital at all.

"She saved his life. For her to be on the scene, with her training, was absolutely incredible."

Mr James said: "I want to get back to work. It's going to be a long process but I know how lucky I am - it could have been a lot worse."